World Journal of
Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences

ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE ATTITUDE AND PRACTICES OF HAND HYGIENE AMONG RESIDENTS AND NURSING STAFF IN INTENSIVE CRITICAL CARE UNITS OF A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN RURAL SETUP

Avantika Thombare, Dr. Kalpana Date* and Dr. Neena Nagdeo

ABSTRACT

Objectives - Proper hand Hygiene is the recognized method of preventing the cross transmission of germs and decreasing the incidence of hospital acquired infections .The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge attitude and practices amongst the nurses and the resident staff posted in intensive critical care units regarding hand hygiene practices. Methods - Data was collected by providing the study population with a questionnaire for assessing the knowledge, attitude and the practices were assessed by a direct observation phase which was conducted by observers during the morning visit hours. The data was then analyzed and the results were obtained. Results - Study included 100 respondents. The knowledge regarding the routes of transmission of germs and the indications where hand hygiene needed to be performed was good but the knowledge regarding the procedure to be followed was poor. The attitudes of the nursing staff were better than the resident doctors. It was also seen that the health care workers are reluctant to ask others to follow hand hygiene. Conclusions - The knowledge and the attitudes were good but the procedural knowledge was poor and the compliance was affected by the professional status and the results warrant promoting education to ameliorate local hand hygiene.

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